ABSTRACT
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a special branch of spectroscopy that uses magnetic properties of the atomic nucleus. The detection of illegal drugs in various samples has been among the most fascinating objects for the practicing analytical chemist involved in forensic analysis. The coupling of spectrometers to chromatographs resulted in very powerful so-called hyphenated techniques enabling online direct analysis of complex matrices containing illegal drugs. During the first three decades of NMR spectroscopy, all measurements relied on one-dimensional modes of observation, which resulted in the spectra having just one frequency axis, the second axis being used to display signal intensities. The development of two-dimensional experiments started a new era in NMR spectroscopy. The amphetamine group and related aromatic ring-substituted substances are generally synthetic compounds, belonging to one of the most heavily abused drug groups. Amphetamine, its N-methyl derivative, and their analogs are among the many illicit psychotropic drugs stimulating the central nervous system.
